Sweep-rake.



J. W. BROWN &'E. J. KEITHLY.

SWEEP- BAKE.

APPLICATION FILED ERBA, 1909.

J. W. BR0W N& E. J. KEITHLY. SWEBP BAKE. i APPLICATION FILED FEB.4,199. 931,675, 'Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

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UNITED STATES PATENT CEECE.

.TOH1\T W. BROWN AND EDWARD J. KEITHLY, OF CEDAR VALE, KANSAS.

SWEEP-RAKE.

Speecation of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

Application ined February 4, 1909. "serial No. 476,103.

To all whom it may concer/n.'

Be it known that we, JOHN XV. Brown and EDWARD J. KnrrHLr, citizens of the United States, both residing at CedarI Vale, in the county of Chautauqua and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Sweep-Rakes, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to certain vnew and useful improvements `in hay forks,

and the object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character embodying a novel construction whereby it can be used to an advantage for the transfer of loads over rough and uneven land, the load being lifted from eight to twelve inches from the ground as the operator desires.

The invention further contemplates a hay rake which is simple and inexpensive in its construction, and which is entirely under the control of the operator, the heaviest loads being readily raised and lowered with one hand, and the device being easily steered when drawn across a field.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the means for eecting the result, reference is to be had to the following descrip tion and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a hay rake constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation, the fork being shown in a lowered position in full lines and in an elevated position in dotted lines; and Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the truck at the rear end of the reach members.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Specifically describing the embodiment of the invention shown on the drawings, the numerals 1 designate the tines of the fork which may be of any desired number and are preferably formed of inet-al. The rear ends of the tines are secured to a rake head comprising the spaced transve bars 2 and 8 to which the tines are directly connected, and a third transverse bar 4- which is supported by a series of brac {ets projecting upwardly from the bars 2 and 3.

A pair of supporting wheels G are journaled upon the forward transverse bar 2 while the rear transverse bar 3 has a pair of sleeves 7 loosely lit-ted thereon. Secured to these sleeves 7 are the rearwardly converging reach members 8 the extremities of which are secured to a plate 9. rfhis plate is supported by a caster wheel 10 which is loosely connected thereto to swing about a vertical axis. A seat 11 and draft beam 12 are secured to the plate 9, the draft beambeing securely held against any swinging movement with respect to the plate or reach members b y means of the braces 13, and the extremities of the draft beam being provided with the swingletrees 14 to which the horses are hitched, one of the horses being located upon each side of the reach members.

Projecting upwardly from the plate 9 is a bracket 15 and one end of a lever 16 is pivotally mounted upon this bracket. Particular attention is directed to the fact that the pivotv end of the lever is curved and that the curved portion of the lever is connected to a curved arm 17 at the termination of rods 18, the free ends of the links being connected to sleeves 19 loosely mounted upon the upper transverse bar 1 of the rake head. rI'he lever 1G is located in front of the seat 11 and by manipulating this lever the rake can be swung up and down about the upper transverse bar as an axis so as to either raise or lower the load thereon as'desired. vWhen the lever isswung rearwardly to the limit of itsl movement in that direction, the connection between the arm 17 at the termination of the rods 18 and the curved portion of the lever is shifted to the opposite side of t-he pivot center of the lever so that the load upon the fork locks the lever in the said position. However, when the lever is lifted the load may be depressed and held in the desired position.

laving thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1n a hay rake the combination of a plurality of tines, a plurality of transverse bars secured across the inner ends of said tines to support the same, a supporting bar mounted above said transverse bars, brackets carried by said transverse bars and engaged with said supporting bar, sleeves loosely disposed on said supporting b ar in spaced relation thereon, rods rearwardly converged from said sleeves, the rear ends of said rods being integrally formed and curved downwardly, a curved hand-lever pivotally connected adjacent its lower end to the rear extremities of said rods, reaches rearwardly converged from said transverse bars, a plate fornied at the rear of said reaches, a draft beain transversely positioned with respect to said plate, braces carried by said plate for supporting said dra-ft beani, a bracket carried by said plate for supporting said lever, said lever being fuloruined at its lower extremity to said bracket to dispose the point of pivotal Connection of the saine to the rear end of said rods belov the pivotal point of said lever with said bracket when the lever is drawn baok to look said rods in adjusted position and ineens for supporting said braces and said transverse bars.

In testimony whereof We afliX our signal5 tures in presence of tWo Witnesses.

JOHN lV. BRGVVN.

EDVARD J. KEITHLY.

lVitnesses Looim LEMERT,

L. M. CLAGET.

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